The present invention relates generally to improvements in vehicle safety belt retraction reels and it relates more particularly to an improved safety belt retraction reel of the type provided with mechanisms for locking the reel against belt extraction as well as against belt retraction.
Vehicles, particularly automobiles, are generally provided with safety belts in order to minimize or prevent the likelihood of injury to the vehicle occupant consequent to a vehicle accident. However, in spite of the many devices which have been available or proposed for facilitating and easing the application and wearing of the safety belt, a large percentage of the seat occupants still fail to use the safety belt. Among the devices which are widely employed are automatic safety belt retractor reels in which the reel is locked when the required length of belt is extracted and in which the belt is freely extractable and spring biased reel retracted but is automatically locked against retraction in response to certain emergency conditions such as excess vehicle acceleration or tilt. However, in each of these retractor devices a belt retracting force is constantly applied which results in a sense of oppression being imparted to the abdominal section and shoulders of the belt wearer. Accordingly, an important problem resulting from the above drawback and disadvantage of the conventional safety belt retraction reel is the elimination or prevention by the application of the belt to the wearer of the constant pressure to the wearer with its resulting inconvenience and discomfort.